18 AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



lives out-doors may be to facts which stare them in the 

 face. For years most South African hunters, and most 

 naturalists, believed in the existence of two species of pre- 

 hensile-lipped, or so-called "black," rhinoceros: one with 

 the front horn much the longer, one with the rear horn at 

 least equal to the front. It was Selous, a singularly clear- 

 sighted and keen observer, who first proved conclusively 

 that the difference was purely imaginary. Now, the curi- 

 ous thing is that these experienced hunters usually attrib- 

 uted entirely different temperaments to these two imagi- 

 nary species. The first kind, that with the long front horn, 

 they described as a miracle of dangerous ferocity, and the 

 second as comparatively mild and inoffensive; and these 

 veterans (Drummond is an instance) persuaded themselves 

 that this was true, although they were writing in each case 

 of identically the same animal! 



After leaving the dead rhinos we rode for several miles, 

 over a plain dotted with game, and took our lunch at 

 the foot of a big range of hills, by a rapid little brook, run- 

 ning under a fringe of shady thorns. Then we rode back 

 to camp. Lines of zebra filed past on the horizon. Os- 

 triches fled while we were yet far off. Topi, hartebeest, 

 wildebeest, and gazelle gazed at us as we rode by, the sun- 

 light throwing their shapes and colors into bold relief 

 against the parched brown grass. I had an hour to my- 

 self after reaching camp, and spent it with Lowell's "Es- 

 says." I doubt whether any man takes keener enjoyment 

 in the wilderness than he who also keenly enjoys many 

 other sides of life; just as no man can relish books more 

 than some at least of those who also love horse and rifle 

 and the winds that blow across lonely plains and through 

 the gorges of the -mountains. 



Next morning a lion roared at dawn so near camp that 

 we sallied forth after him. We did not find him, but we 

 enjoyed our three hours' ride through the fresh air before 

 breakfast, with the game as usual on every hand. Some 

 of the game showed tameness, some wildness, the difference 



